WQXR is pleased to present special programming throughout the 2011 holiday season. Here is a calendar of the Hanukkah and Christmas specials that you will hear in December.
All this Month: WQXR.org presents a special holiday-themed music stream. A gift from us to you - uninterrupted music all month long. UPDATE: Due to popular demand, we've extended the Holiday Stream to run through Jan. 7. Enjoy!
12/1 WQXR Holiday Channel Online at WQXR.ORG
WQXR is getting into the holiday spirit with an all-classical Christmas channel. Now through December 31, the WQXR Holiday Channel will stream continuous seasonal favorites. From beloved carols to festive winter favorites, our stream includes classic recordings from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Philadelphia Brass, and Robert Shaw, as well as new releases from John Rutter, Jeffrey Biegel and more.
12/12 - 7:30 pm Trinity Church Choir – Handel's Messiah
Music director Julian Wachner conducts Handel’s classic oratorio, which received its New World premiere at Trinity Church in 1770. Our annual broadcast is hosted by David Garland with guest commentator Kent Tritle.
12/12-16 - 6:30 pm Nutcracker Sweets
This week Naomi Lewin talks with author and chef Rose Levy Beranbaum of The Cake Bible and Rose’s Christmas Cookies to explore Christmas cookie recipes based on Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet. From gingerbread to sugar plums, expect a new recipe – and some insider baking tips – every day. View the recipes.
12/18 - 7 am (repeated at 11 pm) The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle: Handel’s Judas Maccabeus
Hosted by the conductor the New York Times called “the brightest star in New York’s choral music world,” The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle explores the vibrant and transformative world of choral music. This week: Kent presents the Reader’s Digest version of Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabeus, based on the story celebrated at Chanukah.
12/18 - 4 pm An Early Music & Baroque Christmas
Holiday oldies! Host David Garland presents two hours of Christmas and wintertime music from medieval times through the Baroque era.
12/18 - 9 pm (pre-empting St. Paul Sunday) Christmas Daybreak with Bill McLaughlin
Host Bill McGlaughlin welcomes the singers of The Crossing Choir and actors from the Pig Iron Theatre Company as they present new music for Christmas by American and British composers.
12/19 - 8 pm A Chanticleer Christmas
A Chanticleer Christmas is American Public Media's one-hour celebration of the season as told through the glorious voices of Chanticleer, the 12-voice San Francisco-based men's choir. The program spans the globe and the centuries — from England in the 1300s to new arrangements of classic contemporary carols. And no Chanticleer program would be complete without Joseph Jenning's patented Christmas spirituals arrangements.
12/20 - 6:30 pm: A Chanukah Musical Celebration
The spirit of Chanukah, a holiday joyous at freedom's triumph and spiritual rededication, is richly reflected in the folk melodies and songs from countries across the globe where Jews have lived and worshiped for centuries. Host Naomi Lewin presents this music for all to enjoy in A Chanukah Musical Celebration. This program is hosted by Naomi Lewin and was produced while she was at WGUC in Cincinnati.
12/20 - 8 pm: The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle: Handel’s Judas Maccabeus
Hosted by the conductor the New York Times called “the brightest star in New York’s choral music world,” The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle explores the vibrant and transformative world of choral music. This week: Kent presents the Reader’s Digest version of Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabeus, based on the story celebrated at Chanukah.
12/21 - 8 pm: La Nochebuena: A Spanish Renaissance Christmas with the Rose Ensemble
In La Nochebuena, The Rose Ensemble explores the great variety of music that filled the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella, and flooded the chapels and streets of Renaissance Spain. Serene choral music from 16th-century masters is balanced with spirited cantigas for solo voice and harp, villancicos from court and countryside, and lively dances for vihuela, harp and percussion.
12/22 - 8 pm: Christmas with Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs
One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. It’s a joyous celebration of the school’s tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols.
12/23 - 7 pm: St. Olaf Christmas Festival
A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday traditions. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student singers and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
12/23 - 9 pm: An Early Music & Baroque Christmas **ENCORE**
Holiday oldies! Host David Garland presents two hours of Christmas and wintertime music from medieval times through the Baroque era.
12/24 - 10 am: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (LIVE)
Hosted by Michael Barone, this is a live broadcast from the chapel of King’s College in Cambridge, England where the 30-voice King’s College Choir performs the legendary Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service of Biblical readings and music.
12/24 - 1 pm: La Fille Du Regiment
Nino Machaidze is Donizetti’s spunky heroine in Laurent Pelly’s production. Her Tonio is Lawrence Brownlee, who delivers all nine high C’s of his famous aria with aplomb, and Kiri Te Kanawa is the Duchess of Krakenthorp.
12/24 - 5:30 pm: Calmus Christmas
Jeff Spurgeon hosts the Calmus Ensemble of Leipzig for Christmas carols and seasonal favorites.
12/24 - 6 pm: Echoes of Christmas
The Dale Warland Singers were acclaimed as America’s premiere choir. Their signature holiday concert was the annual Echoes of Christmas program. Drawing upon the archive of their live performances, Dale Warland and host Brian Newhouse create a very special Christmas musical treat.
12/24 - 7 pm: The New Yorker’s Christmas with Nimet Habachy
One of the great WQXR traditions: Nimet Habachy’s reflections on Christmas in New York.
12/24 - 8 pm: A Christmas Carol (from The Greene Space show on 12/9)
Produced from this year’s live performance of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at The Greene Space. Starring F. Murray Abraham asEbenezer Scrooge with WNYC and WQXR personalities John Schaefer, Jeff Spurgeon, Jad Abumrad, Richard Hake, David Garland, Naomi Lewin, Nimet Habachy, Elliott Forrest, Brian Zumhagen, Lorraine Mattox, Robert Krulwich, Brooke Gladstone and Jalen Robinson as Tiny Tim. With A Prairie Home Companion sound effects artist Fred Newman shaping the audio atmosphere and John Forster playing piano. The production is directed by Elliott Forrest.
12/24 - 9 pm: Movies on the Radio
David Garland celebrates the holiday with soundtracks from Christmas favorites like "It’s a Wonderful Life," "The Bishop’s Wife" and "Miracle on 34th Street."
12/24 - 10 pm: All Ears
Terrance McKnight reflects on the meaning of Christmas in the work of multiple composers from across the centuries.
12/25 - 7 am: The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle: Christmas Mix
Hosted by the conductor the New York Times called “the brightest star in New York’s choral music world,” The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle explores the vibrant and transformative world of choral music. This week: the rich tradition of Christmas choral music.
12/25 - 8 am A Chanticleer Christmas **ENCORE**
A Chanticleer Christmas is American Public Media's one-hour celebration of the season as told through the glorious voices of Chanticleer, the 12-voice San Francisco-based men's choir. The program spans the globe and the centuries — from England in the 1300s to new arrangements of classic contemporary carols. And no Chanticleer program would be complete without Joseph Jenning's patented Christmas spirituals arrangements.
12/25 - 4:30 pm: Calmus Christmas
Jeff Spurgeon hosts the Calmus Ensemble of Leipzig for Christmas carols and seasonal favorites.
12/25 - 5 pm: The New Yorker’s Christmas with Nimet Habachy **ENCORE**
One of the great WQXR traditions: Nimet Habachy’s reflections on Christmas in New York.
12/25 - 6 pm: A Christmas Carol (from The Greene Space show on 12/9) **ENCORE**
Produced from this year’s live performance of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at The Greene Space. Starring F. Murray Abraham asEbenezer Scrooge with WNYC and WQXR personalities John Schaefer, Jeff Spurgeon, Jad Abumrad, Richard Hake, David Garland, Naomi Lewin, Nimet Habachy, Elliott Forrest, Brian Zumhagen, Lorraine Mattox, Robert Krulwich, Brooke Gladstone and Jalen Robinson as Tiny Tim. With A Prairie Home Companion sound effects artist Fred Newman shaping the audio atmosphere and John Forster playing piano. The production is directed by Elliott Forrest.
12/25 - 7 pm: Movies on the Radio **ENCORE**
David Garland celebrates the holiday with soundtracks from Christmas favorites like It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bishop’s Wife and Miracle on 34th Street.
12/25 - 8 pm: Performance Today **SPECIAL TIME**
Fred Child hosts a Christmas program featuring recent live recordings.
12/25 - 11 pm: The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle **ENCORE**
Hosted by the conductor the New York Times called “the brightest star in New York’s choral music world,” The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle explores the vibrant and transformative world of choral music. This week: the rich tradition of Christmas choral music.
12/29-31 Classical Countdown
Every year WQXR asks its listeners, “What is your favorite piece of classical music?” Based on your responses at WQXR.org, we close out 2011 by counting down the most-requested pieces. Three days of competitive classical countdown action!
12/31 - 1 pm: Die Fledermaus
The Met presents an archival broadcast of Strauss’s operetta from January 20, 1951.
1/1 - 11 am: New Year’s Day Live from Vienna
Waltz (and polka) into the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic and a live broadcast from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein.